How to use plants and resins for magic

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by Chovexani

Created on: June 19, 2010 Last Updated: June 20, 2010

The beauty about charms is the variety of applications and methods that can be used. There is no right or wrong way to make a charm.

The basic components of charms are the herbs, an object of some sort to represent the purpose or intent, and a vessel to hold it all together. Everything past this point is the caster's own personal embellishment. That is the soul of charm work, personal embellishment!

Common vessels for charms are a cloth pouch, or glass bottle. These are by far the easiest choices, and can be found in a variety of colours and shapes to suit different magical needs. Other options can include boxes, vials, jars; almost anything that can contain intent can be used.

The herbal choices are just as endless. There is a list at the end of this article of some of the more common herbs and their magical uses.

Charms can be made in a variety of ways. Here are some of the more simple ones:

~Putting herbs and gemstones into a cloth pouch to carry with you.

~Adding herbs, oils and gemstones to a glass bottle to bury, or place in your house.

~Braiding lengthy herbs to make a bracelet, or to hang in a doorway.

~Sewing or gluing a pouch of herbs into a book of shadows.

~Infusing water, or making an herbal tea for ingestion.

~Baking selected herbs into bread or other baked good.

For a protection charm, add a bay leaf, some cloves, a sprig of dill and rosemary to a purple pouch and carry on your person. For a home blessing add thyme, rosemary, lavender, marjoram and cinnamon quills to a glass jar and fill with water. Place near your doorway. For a romantic night with your partner mix lemon balm, cardamom, ginger and sandalwood, grind and burn on charcoal tablets as incense.

Experiment! As stated before there is no right or wrong way to make a charm. As with any magical working the intent of the caster is the most important part. Not one herb is able to grant your intent without putting your personal energy in it first.

A quick rite for charm casting begins with gathering all materials before your workspace. Start by closing your eyes and envisioning your goal already attained. State your intent to the cosmos. Simple sentences like “I cast this charm to bring love/protection/healing/prosperity into my life. With harm to none, so mote it be”.

Construct your charm. When finished hold your power hand (or the hand you write with) over your charm. Feel your personal power flow into the charm. There is no set length of time, when you feel it is sufficiently empowered stop. You are now finished the charm working. Be sure to write up your rite, the materials used, and your feelings in your book of shadows.

A list of plants and their magical properties:

~Angelica: protection

~Apple: love, garden magic, healing

~Bay: protection, purification

~Camellia: riches, material gain

~Catnip: love, glamour

~Chili: fidelity

~Cinnamon: success, lust, protection, love

~Cloves: protection, love

~Dill: protection, money

~Fennel: healing, protection

~Gardenia: love, healing